THE EFFECTS LOOP OPERATION
The Tourmaster
TM
effects interface
allows you to connect and control
your effects in a number of differ-
ent ways.
1) You will need to make a few
preliminary decisions on how you
wish to use the loop. First you
must select the SERIES or PAR-
ALLEL mode. Both are explained
below. Each mode has its own
advantages and disadvantages.
Choose the one that best suits your
effects gadgets.
1) SERIES LOOP MODE:
Basically an insert patch point.
When an external effect is patched
into the series send and return
jacks, the path is interrupted
and 100% of the signal is routed
through the effect. This puts
some special demands on the ef-
fects unit. It must be essentially
transparent, meaning it shouldn’t
“mess” with your tone. The input
and output levels must be properly
set for maximum headroom and
lowest noise and it needs to oper-
ate at line level. Proper setting of
the levels can be achieved using
the following method.
a) Set your amp/preamp volume
levels for normal playing levels.
Connect a high quality shielded
cable from the series SEND jack
to the EFFECT input.
b) Adjust the effects SEND level
to “just peak” while playing your
most aggressive licks.
c) Now connect another high
quality shielded cable from the ef-
fect output to the return jack.
d) Adjust the effects unit output
level and/or the loop RETURN
level to match the volume you
heard before connecting the
return cable. You can check this
by switching the loop in and out
while playing and verifying there
that is no substantial volume
difference. This is called “unity
gain”. A cool “techie” phrase for
“you get out what you put in”.
e) If your effects unit does not
have any sort of level indica-
tors, try setting the return level to
around 3:00 and adjust the send
level until unity gain is achieved
using the above method.
2) PARALLEL LOOP MODE:
This is a more specialized loop. It
has the advantage of maintaining
your dry signal (it doesn’t mess
with your tone), while allowing
you to mix in the amount of ef-
fect you want. The Tourmaster
TM
parallel loop mode is a bit differ-
ent than most guitar amp loops.
Typically, parallel loops found on
guitar amplifiers have a wet/dry
mix control that turns down the
dry signal (messing with your
tone) while simultaneously turning
up the effects level. The Tourmas-
ter
TM
parallel loop is unique in that
it never messes with your dry tone.
It simply mixes in the amount
of effects using the RETURN
LEVEL/MIX knob, much like the
effects buss on a mixing console.
The direct signal remains unal-
tered and the effects are simply
mixed back in. There are a few
basic rules that must be adhered
to. This also puts some limitations
on using the parallel loop.
a) Your effects unit must be set
for 100% wet. This requires you to
set the mix levels on the effect so
that there is no dry signal pass-
ing through the unit. Think of the
mixing console again. You would
not want to have any dry signal
going through the effects buss
because you would then be mixing
in not only the effect, but also the
unwanted dry signal that comes
out of the effects unit. This can
even be detrimental to your tone
because the dry output signal of
many effects units are out of phase
with the input. Consequently,
as you turn up the effects return
knob, you may actually be mixing
the “icky” out of phase signal back
in with your awesome dry signal
and…you guessed it….mess-
ing with your tone. Often loops
on guitar amps are said to “suck
tone”. This “tone sucking” is more
likely caused by improperly set-
ting the effects mix than the loop
design.
3) Now let’s address the specific
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